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Montreal, February 9, 2016 – Registration for the Quit to Win! Challenge is open until March 1. Quebec smokers who want to butt out still have three weeks left to register at quitchallenge.ca. The Challenge involves not smoking for at least six weeks, from March 1 to April 11. For extra motivation, participants who successfully complete the Challenge will also have the chance to win one of two trips to a sun destination!¹

The best ally for butting out

Dr. Christiane Laberge, campaign spokesperson, encourages all smokers to participate. “We’re aware of the many health risks of smoking, but we also have to remember that smoking is an addiction, which makes it hard to quit. Before butting out, you have to get ready: know what kind of smoker you are, get help, and find the right tools to avoid a relapse. With the Challenge, participants get all of these resources to help them get ready—and succeed!” says Laberge.

In fact, when they register, participants get access to their own online profile, a personalized account where they can keep a journal, calculate their savings, find tons of tips, and more. They can also sign up to receive encouragement emails and join the campaign’s Facebook community of 17,000 followers (www.facebook.ca/defitabac). A Quit Kit is also offered free of charge to all participants at all PJC Jean Coutu pharmacies in Quebec.

Six weeks: a great start

Freeing oneself from tobacco is a major challenge—often the biggest challenge smokers will face in their lives! Committing to quitting smoking for a set period of time, like the six weeks of the Challenge, is the first attainable step in the quitting process. And the results are encouraging: on average, two out of three participants successfully complete the Challenge!

Lastly, keep in mind that since the Quit to Win! Challenge first began in 2000, nearly 400,000 Quebec smokers of all ages have participated—and the enthusiasm continues year after year.

Visit quitchallenge.ca by March 1 to register. The Challenge runs from March 1 to April 11, 2016.

About the Quit to Win! Challenge

The Quit to Win! Challenge, a campaign that provides free support to smokers who want to quit, is an initiative of Capsana, in partnership with several public and private organizations, including the ministère de la Santé et des Services Sociaux, Quebec’s Directions régionales de santé publique, the Canadian Cancer Society, the Jean Coutu Group, and GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare. To find out more, visit quitchallenge.ca.

^{1. Courtesy of Transat and the Majestic Elegance and Majestic Colonial hotels in Punta Cana.}